Remembering Omar Sharif, A Star In Two Skies
Legendary Egyptian actor Omar Sharif died today in Cairo, according to his agent. He was 83.
Sharif hit it big starring in 1960s epic dramas such as Doctor Zhivago, and the movie that introduced him to world audiences: Lawrence of Arabia.
In that film, he first appears on the back of a camel, dressed as a Bedouin in headscarf and robes, brandishing a rifle as he rides toward a well where Peter O'Toole's Lawrence and his guide are drinking. He drops the guide with one shot.
Dark and handsome, with a strong accent, Sharif — seen here in 1962's Lawrence of Arabia — didn't look like the movie stars audiences were used to.
As Sharif emerges from the desert, you see an actor who looks nothing like the movie stars audiences were used to, nothing like O'Toole's blond, blue-eyed good looks. Sharif is handsome, with a square face, dark, moody eyes, the signature mustache — and, the moment he opens his mouth, that accent.
"The scene at the well is a clip, whenever they show the Academy Awards, it's used continuously," says film scholar Jack Shaheen. The brutal scene is iconic, he adds, but it doesn't do justice to Sharif's performance. "He's really sort of like the nonviolent second protagonist of the film. He's articulate, he's sensitive, he's bright, he shows compassion for other people." And you can see how his relationship to the Englishman becomes much richer over the course of the movie.
"He was selected by David Lean not to portray the stereotypical Arab — the Arab sheik, the Arab terrorist, the Arab buffoon — rather, in Lawrence of Arabia you have a bona fide Arab freedom fighter," Shaheen continues. In 1962, not long after Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser set off an international crisis by nationalizing the Suez Canal, an Egyptian actor might not have been a popular choice. "And yet he took, I think, audiences by storm."
While to Hollywood audiences it might have seemed that Sharif appeared out of nowhere, he had actually done more than 20 black-and-white dramas in Cairo, the film capital of the Arab world. And even in his Arabic films, there's a clue he was going for international appeal: his billing. "Omar Sharif" was not the name given to him by his well-to-do, Catholic parents.
"My name was Michel," he told NPR in 2012. Michel Shalhoub, to be exact. In his memoir, he wrote about wanting an Arab-sounding name that was easy to pronounce in different languages — essential to a man who spoke not just Arabic but also French and English. "I went to the school where the priests were French. And then after, when I was 9 or 8 years old, I went to an English school — thank God. And there was a theater there. And that's how I started to become an actor."
Egyptian director Asaad Kelada says this multicultural preparation meant Sharif "was able to travel from nationality to nationality with conviction in the roles that he played. And so he was really the go-to person for any role that was of an exotic or different nature at that time."
For his next big film after Lawrence of Arabia, Sharif transformed himself from an Arab freedom fighter to a Russian revolutionary poet in Doctor Zhivago. For three hours, Sharif carries this film — he treats patients and navigates politics, dotes on his wife and dreams with his mistress.
Sharif was an avid card player, specializing in contract bridge — which gave a certain realism to his poker scenes in Funny Girl.
Jack Shaheen says that over the course of Sharif's decades-long career, the range of his roles only expanded. "Well, he played Che Guevara. He played a German officer, and a Turkish Muslim, and the Jew Nicky Arnstein," opposite Barbra Streisand in 1968's Funny Girl. She plays comedienne and radio star Fanny Brice; he's her love interest — a dark and handsome gambler.
Though in some ways it may have been a stretch for him, the role of Nicky Arnstein had some echoes of Sharif's real life. That's because outside of acting, playing cards was his other love. He wrote a slew of books — including a memoir titled Omar Sharif's Life in Bridge — and even made instructional videos. So during the poker scenes in Funny Girl, it can feel like a glimpse of Sharif doing both things he loved at once.
Delightful though it was, Funny Girl caused some political ripples when it came out in 1968. Here was an Egyptian actor singing duets and kissing a Jewish woman not long after the Six Day War between Israel and Arab nations. Asaad Kelada says the movie caused Sharif a lot of trouble back home in Egypt. "But as an artist, he played that role of Nicky Arnstein and was able to make it accessible and believable to audiences worldwide."
Sharif will be remembered for being the first to make that remarkable leap — from Cairo to Hollywood, and on to a place in history as one of the most famous movie stars of his time.
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Transcript
KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:
Omar Sharif was one of the few Arab actors to ever make it big in Hollywood, and he was huge. He was essential to two of the most epic movies of the 1960s. He played opposite Peter O'Toole in "Lawrence Of Arabia," and had the title role in "Doctor Zhivago." Omar Sharif died today at the age of 83. NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin has our remembrance.
SELENA SIMMONS-DUFFIN, BYLINE: World audiences met Omar Sharif on the back of a camel, dressed as a Bedouin - headscarf, robes. He rides towards a well, where O'Toole, as Lawrence of Arabia, and his guide are drinking. From his camel, Sharif shoots the guide.
(SOUNDBITE OF GUNSHOT)
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: As Omar Sharif emerges from the desert, you see that here is an actor who looks nothing like the movie stars audiences were used to, like the blonde, blue-eyed O'Toole. Sharif is handsome, with a square face, dark, moody eyes and that signature mustache, and he has an accent.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "LAWRENCE OF ARABIA")
OMAR SHARIF: (As Sherif Ali) He was nothing. The well is everything. The Hazimi may not drink at our wells.
JACK SHAHEEN: The scene at the well is a clip, whenever they show the Academy Awards, that's used continuously.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Film scholar Jack Shaheen says this brutal scene is iconic, but it doesn't do justice to Sharif's performance.
SHAHEEN: He's really sort of like the non-violent second protagonist of the film. He's articulate. He's sensitive. He's bright. He shows compassion for other people.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: And you can see how his relationship to this Englishman becomes much richer over the course of the movie.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "LAWRENCE OF ARABIA")
ANTHONY QUINN: (As Auda Abu Tayi) He is your friend?
SHARIF: (As Sherif Ali) Take your hand away.
QUINN: (As Auda Abu Tayi) You love him.
SHARIF: (As Sherif Ali) No, I fear him.
QUINN: (As Auda Abu Tayi) Then why do you weep?
SHARIF: (As Sherif Ali) If I fear him or love him, how must he fear himself or hate himself?
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: He was selected by David Lean not to portray the stereotypical Arab - the Arab sheik, the Arab terrorist, the Arab buffoon. Rather, in "Lawrence of Arabia," you have a bona fide Arab freedom fighter. And this is 1962, at the time of Nasser, when, you know, being an Egyptian actor was not very popular, and yet he took, I think, audiences by storm.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: He may have seemed, to Hollywood audiences, to have appeared out of nowhere. Actually, Sharif had already done 20-some dramatic black-and-white films in Cairo, the film capital of the Arab world. In this film from early in his career, "Dark Waters," he's already so natural on screen. Here, he's just back from a long trip at sea, handing out gifts to his mom and his girlfriend.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "DARK WATERS")
SHARIF: (As Ragab, foreign language spoken).
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As character, foreign language spoken).
SHARIF: (As Ragab, foreign language spoken).
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Even in his Arabic films, there's a clue he was going for international appeal. His billing - Omar Sharif was not the name given to him by his well-to-do Catholic parents.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
SHARIF: My name was Michel - Michel, it was.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Michel Shalhoub, to be exact, as he told NPR in 2012. In his memoir, he wrote he wanted an Arab-sounding name that was easy to pronounce in different languages - essential to a man who spoke Arabic, and also...
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
SHARIF: I went to the school where the priests are French. And then after, when I was 9 or 8 years old, I went to an English school, thank God. And there was a theater there and that's how I started to become an actor.
ASAAD KELADA: The fact that his preparation was multicultural, he was able to travel from nationality to nationality with conviction in the roles that he played.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: That's Asaad Kelada, an Egyptian director.
KELADA: And so he was really the go-to person for any role that was of an exotic or different nature at that time.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: For his next big film after "Lawrence Of Arabia," he transforms from that Arab freedom fighter to a Russian poet in Revolutionary times named Doctor Zhivago. He treats patients and navigates politics, dotes on his wife and dreams with his mistress.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "DOCTOR ZHIVAGO")
JULIE CHRISTIE: (As Lara) If we'd had children, Yuri, would you've liked a boy or girl?
SHARIF: (As Doctor Zhivago) I think we may go mad if we think about all that.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Jack Shaheen says that over the course of his decades-long career, the range of his roles only expanded.
SHAHEEN: Well, he played Che Guevara. He played a German officer and a Turkish Muslim and the Jew Nicky Arnstein.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FUNNY GIRL")
BARBRA STREISAND: (Singing) Nicky Arnstein, Nicky Arnstein, what a beautiful, beautiful name.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: That would be Barbra Streisand in the musical "Funny Girl" from the late '60s. She plays an enterprising comic. He's her love interest, a dark and handsome gambler.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FUNNY GIRL")
SHARIF: (As Nicky Arnstein) You...
STREISAND: (As Fanny Brice) Huh?
SHARIF: (As Nicky Arnstein, singing) I am man. You are smaller, so I can be taller than...
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Though it may have been a stretch for him in some ways, the role of Nicky Arnstein had some echoes of Omar Sharif's real life. That's because outside of acting, playing cards was his other love. He authored a slew of books and even made an instructional video.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "PLAY BRIDGE WITH OMAR SHARIF")
UNIDENTIFIED NARRATOR: You're invited to play bridge with Omar Sharif.
SHARIF: Hello. You probably recognize my face.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: So in "Funny Girl," during the poker scenes...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FUNNY GIRL")
SHARIF: (As Nicky Arnstein) Two.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: ...It can feel like you're glimpsing Sharif doing both things he loved at once.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FUNNY GIRL")
SHARIF: (As Nicky Arnstein) I've got three kings here.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) I thought you were bluffing.
SHARIF: (As Nicky Arnstein) This distinguished, in expert company? I wouldn't dare.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Delightful though it was, "Funny Girl" caused some political ripples when it came out in 1968. Here was an Egyptian actor singing duets and kissing a Jewish woman, not long after the Six-Day War. Again, Egyptian director Asaad Kelada.
KELADA: That caused him a lot of trouble at home, but as an artist, he played that role of Nicky Arnstein and was able to make it accessible and believable to audiences worldwide.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Omar Sharif will be remembered for making that remarkable leap from Cairo to Hollywood and on to a place in history as one of the most famous movie stars of this time. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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